O corpo ideal para a dança clássica : entre biótipos e construções pedagógicas

Orientador: Ricardo Marinelli MartinsMonografia (bacharelado) - Universidade Federal do Paraná. Setor de Ciências Biológicas. Curso de Graduação em Educação Física

Condicionantes e impactos da colheita mecanizada em alguns estados produtores de cana-de-açúcar

O protocolo paulista agroambiental, dentre várias diretrizes, reduz a data limite para a eliminação da queimada da cana, o que induz à adoção da colheita mecanizada. Este estudo tem por objetivo discutir algumas implicações frente a necessidade da utilização dessa tecnologia. O tema será tratado a partir do levantamento de informações junto aos vários agentes que atuam na cadeia de produção, buscando comparar as condições de produção do Estado de São Paulo com as regiões produtoras do Nordeste Brasileiro, focalizando especial- mente, as semelhanças e as diferenças entre as regiões, apontando os gargalos tecnológicos a serem vencidos a fim de manter a sustentabilidade da atividade canavieira

Spider venom administration impairs glioblastoma growth and modulates immune response in a non-clinical model.

Molecules from animal venoms are promising candidates for the development of new drugs. Previous in vitro studies have shown that the venom of the spider Phoneutria nigriventer (PnV) is a potential source of antineoplastic components with activity in glioblastoma (GB) cell lines. In the present work, the effects of PnV on tumor development were established in vivo using a xenogeneic model. Human GB (NG97, the most responsive line in the previous study) cells were inoculated (s.c.) on the back of RAG-/- mice. PnV (100 µg/Kg) was administrated every 48 h (i.p.) for 14 days and several endpoints were evaluated: tumor growth and metabolism (by microPET/CT, using 18F-FDG), tumor weight and volume, histopathology, blood analysis, percentage and profile of macrophages, neutrophils and NK cells isolated from the spleen (by flow cytometry) and the presence of macrophages (Iba-1 positive) within/surrounding the tumor. The effect of venom was also evaluated on macrophages in vitro. Tumors from PnV-treated animals were smaller and did not uptake detectable amounts of 18F-FDG, compared to control (untreated). PnV-tumor was necrotic, lacking the histopathological characteristics typical of GB. Since in classic chemotherapies it is observed a decrease in immune response, methotrexate (MTX) was used only to compare the PnV effects on innate immune cells with a highly immunosuppressive antineoplastic drug. The venom increased monocytes, neutrophils and NK cells, and this effect was the opposite of that observed in the animals treated with MTX. PnV increased the number of macrophages in the tumor, while did not increase in the spleen, suggesting that PnV-activated macrophages were led preferentially to the tumor. Macrophages were activated in vitro by the venom, becoming more phagocytic; these results confirm that this cell is a target of PnV components. Spleen and in vitro PnV-activated macrophages were different of M1, since they did not produce pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines. Studies in progress are selecting the venom molecules with antitumor and immunomodulatory effects and trying to better understand their mechanisms. The identification, optimization and synthesis of antineoplastic drugs from PnV molecules may lead to a new multitarget chemotherapy. Glioblastoma is associated with high morbidity and mortality; therefore, research to develop new treatments has great social relevance. Natural products and their derivatives represent over one-third of all new molecular entities approved by FDA. However, arthropod venoms are underexploited, although they are a rich source of new molecules. A recent in vitro screening of the Phoneutria nigriventer spider venom (PnV) antitumor effects by our group has shown that the venom significantly affected glioblastoma cell lines. Therefore, it would be relevant to establish the effects of PnV on tumor development in vivo, considering the complex neoplastic microenvironment. The venom was effective at impairing tumor development in murine xenogeneic model, activating the innate immune response and increasing tumor infiltrating macrophages. In addition, PnV activated macrophages in vitro for a different profile of M1. These activated PnV-macrophages have potential to fight the tumor without promoting tumorigenesis. Studies in progress are selecting the venom molecules with antitumor and immunomodulatory effects and trying to better understand their mechanisms. We aim to synthesize and carry out a formulation with these antineoplastic molecules for clinical trials. Spider venom biomolecules induced smaller and necrotic xenogeneic GB; spider venom activated the innate immune system; venom increased blood monocytes and the migration of macrophages to the tumor; activated PnV-macrophages have a profile different of M1 and have a potential to fight the tumor without promote tumorigenesis

Evaluation of the use of transbronchial biopsy in patients with clinical suspicion of interstitial lung disease

OBJETIVO: Estudar os padrões clínicos, radiológicos e histopatológicos da biópsia transbrônquica (BTB) utilizados para a confirmação diagnóstica em pacientes com suspeita clinica de doença pulmonar intersticial (DPI) atendidos em um hospital universitário de nível terciário. MÉTODOS: Os prontuários, laudos radiológicos e de biópsias transbrônquicas de todos os pacientes com suspeita de DPI submetidos a BTB entre janeiro de 1999 e dezembro de 2006 no Hospital das Clínicas de Botucatu, localizado na cidade de Botucatu (SP), foram revisados. RESULTADOS: Foram incluídos no estudo 56 pacientes. Desses, 11 (19,6%) apresentaram o diagnóstico definitivo de fibrose pulmonar idiopática (FPI), que foi significativamente maior nos casos nos quais DPI era uma possibilidade diagnóstica em comparação com aqueles nos quais DPI era a principal suspeita (p = 0,011), demonstrando a contribuição da BTB para a definição diagnóstica dessas doenças. O exame histopatológico dessas biópsias revelou que 27,3% dos pacientes com FPI apresentavam o padrão de pneumonia organizante, o que pode sugerir doença mais avançada. O padrão histológico indeterminado foi o mais frequente, refletindo a característica periférica da FPI. Entretanto, o padrão fibrose apresentou alta especificidade e alto valor preditivo negativo. Para os padrões sugestivos de FPI em TC, a curva ROC indicou que a melhor relação entre sensibilidade e especificidade ocorreu com a presença de cinco alterações radiológicas, sendo o aspecto de favo de mel fortemente sugestivo de FPI (p = 0,01). CONCLUSÕES: Nas DPIs, a TC de tórax deve ser sempre realizada e a BTB usada em situações individualizadas, conforme a suspeita e distribuição das lesões.OBJECTIVE: To study the clinical, radiological, and histopathological patterns of transbronchial biopsy (TBB) used in order to confirm the diagnosis in patients with clinical suspicion of interstitial lung disease (ILD) treated at a tertiary-care university hospital. METHODS: We reviewed the medical records, radiology reports, and reports of transbronchial biopsies from all patients with suspected ILD who underwent TBB between January of 1999 and December of 2006 at the Hospital das Clínicas de Botucatu, located in the city of Botucatu, Brazil. RESULTS: The study included 56 patients. Of those, 11 (19.6%) had a definitive diagnosis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), the rate of which was significantly higher in the patients in which ILD was a possible diagnosis in comparison with those in which ILD was the prime suspect (p = 0.011), demonstrating the contribution of TBB to the diagnostic confirmation of these diseases. The histopathological examination of the biopsies revealed that 27.3% of the patients with IPF showed a pattern of organizing pneumonia, which suggests greater disease severity. The most common histological pattern was the indeterminate pattern, reflecting the peripheral characteristic of IPF. However, the fibrosis pattern showed high specificity and high negative predictive value. For CT scan patterns suggestive of IPF, the ROC curve showed that the best relationship between sensitivity and specificity occurred when five radiological alterations were present. Honeycombing was found to be strongly suggestive of IPF (p = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: For ILDs, chest CT should always be performed, and TBB should be used in specific situations, according to the suspicion and distribution of lesions

Association Between the Success of an Invasive Macrophyte, Environmental Variables and Abundance of a Competing Native Macrophyte

The success of invasive species depends on the overcoming of abiotic and biotic filters. Abiotic variables likely have greater relative importance over invasion at broad spatial scales, while biotic interactions are more important at fine spatial scales. In this study, we tested the hypotheses that (i) the abundance of the invasive Hydrilla verticillata is more correlated with abiotic factors than with competing native species at broad spatial grain; and that (ii) H. verticillata abundance is more correlated with competing native species than with abiotic factors at fine spatial grain. Here, we considered spatial scale as the grain size (i.e., the extent of sampling unit) assuming broad spatial scales as a large area encompassing the entire patches of macrophytes, and fine spatial scales as a small area inside one macrophyte patch. We collected the abundance of hydrilla and the competing native species along with environmental variables in a large subtropical reservoir. To evaluate how the relative importance of the abiotic factors and the competing native species vary between spatial grains we used Bayesian Generalized Linear Models. At broad grain, the abundance of the competing native species, maximum fetch (positive correlation), turbidity and conductivity (negative correlation) were the most important factors to explain the hydrilla abundance. At fine grain, alkalinity, total organic matter of the sediment and the abundance of a competitive native species (all negative correlations) were the most important variables. Our results indicate a greater importance of abiotic factors at broader grains while competitive interactions seem to be important only in the finer spatial grains. Environmental heterogeneity may explain the positive correlation between native and invasive abundances at broad grain, while the negative correlation at fine grain suggests the effect of competition. In synthesis, we show that the abiotic factors that explain the invasion success of a submerged invasive macrophyte are the same in two spatial grains, but the importance of biotic interactions changed with grain. Thus, our data suggest that models that attempt to explain the success of invasive plants, should consider spatial scales

Immediate changes in electroencephalography activity in individuals with nonspecific chronic low back pain after cranial osteopathic manipulative treatment : study protocol of a randomized, controlled crossover trial

Background: Osteopathic medicine is based on a diagnostic and therapeutic system to treat tissue mobility/ motility dysfunctions in general, using different approaches (depending on the target tissue) known as osteopathic manipulative treatment. Among the available techniques those ones addressed to the cranial field are the most questioned because of the lack of scientific evidence; but the compression of the 4th ventricle technique has been largely studied in clinical trials. Studies have shown that the technique may affect both central and autonomous nervous system, modulating some reflexes (Traube-Hering baro signal), and modifying brain cortex electrical activity through central sensitization in subjects with chronic low back pain. Thus, investigators hypothesize that the compression of the 4th ventricle may modulate peak alpha frequency (eletroencephalographic assessment) and promote physical relaxation in subjects in vigil. Methods/Design: A randomized, controlled crossover trial with blinded assessor was designed to test the hypothesis. A total of 81 participants will be assigned to three treatment conditions, with seven days of washout: (I) compression of the 4th ventricle; (II) sham compression of the fourth ventricle; (III) control (no intervention). The (I) power amplitude and the (II) frequencies of the dominant peak in the alpha band will be the primary outcome measures of the study. All participants will be recruited at the Outpatient Rehabilitation Service of the University Hospital of Brasília – University of Brasília. All the electroencephalographic exams will be conducted by a blinded assessor. Discussion: The investigators hypothesize that patients with chronic low back pain submitted to the technique would have the peak alpha frequency modulated and, thus, would experience physical relaxation

Performance of piglets of high weaning weight receiving different types of diets and levels of protein during the starter phase

An experiment using 36 crossbred piglets (Landrace x Large White) of 7.6 kg initial bodyweight (BW) was conducted to evaluate the effects of two types of starter diets (simple and semi-complex) with three protein levels (16, 18 and 20% CP), and also residual effects during the growing and finishing phases, and the number of days required to reach 90 kg BW (mean duration 145 days). The experimental design was randomized blocks (based on initial BW and sex), with a 3 x 2 factorial arrangement of treatments (three protein levels and two types of diets), with six replications (three of males and three of females). During the starter phase the protein levels and types of diet did not affect (P>0.05) daily weight gain and daily feed intake, but the feed:gain ratio (FGR) was worse (P<0.05) for the 16% CP level than for the 20%. The type of diet did not affect FGR. During the growing, finishing and total periods there were no differences (P > 0.05) between treatments. In conclusion, a starter diet of 16% CP, whether simple or semi-complex, can be used without affecting animal performance during the final period of rearing

Estradiol-17β altera expressão proteica endometrial em fêmeas bovinas tratadas no 17º dia do ciclo estral

In bovine females the release of prostaglandin F2&#945; (PGF2&#945;) is induced in vivo by estradiol (E2). It is believed that E2 stimulates the synthesis of essential proteins for the production of PGF2&#945;. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of E2 in increasing the concentration of total protein and modifying the protein composition of endometrial explants from bovine females treated with E2 at the 17th day of estrous cycle. Crossbred heifers were treated at 17th day of estrous cycle intravenously with 0 mg (Control Group; n = 6) or 3 mg of E2 (E2 Group; n = 6) and killed two hours after. Endometrial explants were isolated, subjected to extraction of total protein, quantified and were analyzed by one-dimensional electrophoresis on polyacrylamide gel 10% SDS-PAGE. The concentration of total protein did not differ between groups, 6296.10 + 439.90 µg/mL for the Control Group and 8426.56 + 1156.00 µg/mL for E2 Group (p = 0.1158). There was no significant difference (p &gt; 0.05) in the protein profile of endometrial explants in gels stained with Coomasie Blue. In gels stained with Silver Nitrate it was verified in E2 Group greater relative percentage of the bands referring to the molecular weight of 75 to 76 kDa (8.40% vs. 4.89% in E2 Group and Control respectively; p < 0.05) and 108 to 110 Kda (6.85% vs. 3.84% in E2 Group and Control respectively, p < 0.05). It was observed in E2 Group lower relative percentage of the band referring to the molecular weight of 90 kDa (5.78% vs. 9.83% in E2 Group and control respectively; p < 0.05). We concluded that the E2 does not increase the protein concentration in the endometrium, however, it modifies the proteinic composition in the endometrial explants, indicating that E2 alters the expression of specific proteins.Em fêmeas bovinas, a liberação de prostaglandina F2α (PGF2α) é induzida in vivo pelo estradiol (E2). Acredita-se que o E2 estimule a síntese de proteínas essenciais na produção de PGF2α. Objetivou-se avaliar o efeito do E2 no incremento da concentração de proteínas totais e na modificação da composição proteica em explantes endometriais de fêmeas bovinas tratadas com E2 no 17º dia do ciclo estral. Novilhas cruzadas foram tratadas no 17º dia do ciclo estral, via intravenosa, com 0 mg (Grupo Controle; n = 6) ou 3 mg de E2 (Grupo E2; n = 6) e abatidas duas horas após. Explantes endometriais foram isolados, submetidos à extração de proteínas totais, quantificados e avaliados por Eletroforese Unidimensional em gel de poliacrilamida 10% SDS-PAGE. A concentração de proteínas totais não diferiu entre os grupos, 6296,10 + 439,90 µg/mL para o Grupo Controle e 8426,56 + 1156,00 µg/mL para o Grupo E2 (p = 0,1158). Não houve diferença significativa (p &gt; 0,05) no perfil proteico dos explantes endometriais em géis corados com Coomasie Blue. Em géis corados com Nitrato de Prata verificou-se no Grupo E2 maior porcentagem relativa das bandas referentes ao peso molecular de 75 a 76 kDa (8,40% vs. 4,89%; no Grupo E2 e Controle respectivamente; p &lt; 0,05) e 108 a 110 kDa (6,85% vs. 3,84%; no Grupo E2 e Controle respectivamente; p &lt; 0,05). Observou-se no Grupo E2 menor porcentagem relativa da banda referente ao peso molecular de 90 kDa (5,78% vs. 9,83%; no Grupo E2 e Controle respectivamente; p &lt; 0,05). Conclui-se que o E2 não incrementa a concentração de proteínas no endométrio, entretanto, altera a composição proteica nos explantes endometriais, indicando que o E2 altera a expressão de proteínas específicas

Effectiveness of a multifactorial falls prevention program in community-dwelling older people when compared to usual care: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial (Prevquedas Brazil)

Background\ud Falling in older age is a major public health concern due to its costly and disabling consequences. However very few randomised controlled trials (RCTs) have been conducted in developing countries, in which population ageing is expected to be particularly substantial in coming years. This article describes the design of an RCT to evaluate the effectiveness of a multifactorial falls prevention program in reducing the rate of falls in community-dwelling older people.\ud \ud Methods/design\ud Multicentre parallel-group RCT involving 612 community-dwelling men and women aged 60 years and over, who have fallen at least once in the previous year. Participants will be recruited in multiple settings in Sao Paulo, Brazil and will be randomly allocated to a control group or an intervention group. The usual care control group will undergo a fall risk factor assessment and be referred to their clinicians with the risk assessment report so that individual modifiable risk factors can be managed without any specific guidance. The intervention group will receive a 12-week Multifactorial Falls Prevention Program consisting of: an individualised medical management of modifiable risk factors, a group-based, supervised balance training exercise program plus an unsupervised home-based exercise program, an educational/behavioral intervention. Both groups will receive a leaflet containing general information about fall prevention strategies. Primary outcome measures will be the rate of falls and the proportion of fallers recorded by monthly falls diaries and telephone calls over a 12 month period. Secondary outcomes measures will include risk of falling, fall-related self-efficacy score, measures of balance, mobility and strength, fall-related health services use and independence with daily tasks. Data will be analysed using the intention-to-treat principle.The incidence of falls in the intervention and control groups will be calculated and compared using negative binomial regression analysis.\ud \ud Discussion\ud This study is the first trial to be conducted in Brazil to evaluate the effectiveness of an intervention to prevent falls. If proven to reduce falls this study has the potential to benefit older adults and assist health care practitioners and policy makers to implement and promote effective falls prevention interventions.\ud \ud Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT01698580)The PREVQUEDAS BRAZIL trial is supported by a grant from FAPESP (Sao Paulo Research Foundation, protocol number 12/51216-0).We are grateful to the multidisciplinary team of the Falls Prevention Program (Programa de Prevenção de Quedas do Hospital das Clínicas da FMUSP – PPQ) for providing their clinical and research support (Valmari Cristina Aranha, Maria Aquimara Zambone) and Luiz Eugenio Garcez Leme and Julia Maria D’Andrea Greve for providing institutional support.Salaries for CS and AT are funded by Australian National Health and Medical Research Council Fellowships